The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 4,1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1039, 4 May 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 4,1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Mr Robertson, Labour M.P. for this constituency, made the best ot a bad case in explanation of his broken election pledges to a moderately attended meeting of his constituents in the Masonic Hall on Thursday night. To the credit of Foxton he received, excepting (or a few jocular interjections, a good hearing. The small attendance evidenced lack of interest in the incident in which Messrs Robertson and Payne gained such unenviable notoriety. We think Mr Robertson would have been well advised had he let the whole affair rest with the lame excuses he has already made, and which he only reiterated to an audience composed of two-thirds of his . supporters on Thursday. The collective memory of the people of this electorate is too good, and the evidence against Mr Robertson too convincing, to be influenced by plausible afterthoughts as justification ot broken pledges while sustaining the role of the injured political martyr — the innocent victim of a demoralised and capitalistic press ! The utterances ot John Robertson, the virtuous Right-ot-Recall candidate and condemner of the Liberal policy, Ministry and administration —the man who compared the Liberal Party to the poor little chameleon which died on the tartan rug —the “sruoodger” of Opposition votes prior to the second ballot —don’t square with the subsequent utterances ot John Robertson, M.P. He now declares with dramatic gesture that his volt-lace during the no-confidence crisis is responsible for great constitutional changes in the selection ot a leader. Assuming that this is so, has he won honour ? Is not Mr Payne equally entitled to a halo and phosphorescent paint ? How ungenerous of Mr Robertson to shut the limelight off his battle scarred companion. Mr Robertson’s speech on Thursday night will not convince any other thau a blind following that a broken pledge is other thau a broken pledge, and he still stands condemned as a pledge-breaker.